The Top Books I Read in 2019
I made my way through several books in 2019 and enjoyed much of what I read. At the beginning of the new year, I try and compile a list of what I thought were the best I read for the year. These aren’t books that were necessarily brand new, in fact, some were pretty old. This isn’t a “Top New Christian Books Released in 2019” kinda post. These were just books that edified me that I’m sharing with you. Here they are in no certain order:
The Prayer that Turned the World Upside Down by Albert Mohler
This was Mohler’s work on the Lord’s Prayer and it was fantastic. He takes you on a deep dive of the most famous prayer in existence. Mohler will take you line by line through the Lord’s prayer breaking it down and applying it to your life. Prayer is something I’m always wanting to understand more and get better at so I loved this book.
Get it here. (affiliate)
Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung
This book was encouraging to me. It was so encouraging that I bought a few copies and passed them on to other people. This was the book I wish I had in college and after college when I was making big life decisions and seeking the Lord’s will. This is a book that should probably be handed to every new Christian and shared with old Christians as well. Want to know the Lord’s will for your life? Read this book.
Get it here. (affiliate)
The Unsaved Christian by Dean Inserra
This book will be helpful for every Christian living in the south and seeking to follow the Great Commission. I was privileged to get to go to a mini-conference where Dean was the speaker and he is witty, wise, and very applicable in helping Christians who genuinely want to see people saved in areas where everyone says they’re a Christian. Dean will encourage you and give you useful advice in this book.
Get it here. (affiliate)
The Gospel-Driven Church by Jared Wilson
This book is about transitioning from seeker-sensitive, attractional church to a more biblical model where the gospel is the main thing on display. I didn’t need to read this book, but it was encouraging and Jared Wilson is truly one of the great writers of our time. I hope to be almost as good of a writer as Wilson one day.
Get it here. (affiliate)
Disciple Her by Kandi Gallaty
If you’ve always wanted to make disciples, but didn’t know where to start this book is for you. Don’t let the name fool you—this book will benefit men too. Kandi Gallaty is the wife of Robby Gallaty who pastors Long Hollow Baptist Church in Tennessee. Robby has written a similar book, but I just happened to pick up Kandi’s first and it’s fantastic. This book made me excited about making disciples—so excited that I started my own D-group after reading it and began to actually do what Jesus calls me to.
Get it here. (affiliate)
Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop
Life is hard. The older I get, the more I realize it. God has not left us out to dry when life gets hard. We need to be able to process the difficulty we face in a healthy, God honoring way. Vroegop will introduce you to lament, tell you what it is, why it’s beneficial to you, and explain how to do it. We need to lament and we need to know how when hard things happen. This was another book that impacted me so much that I bought several copies to give away. Just read it and pick up your copy here. (affiliate)
The Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin
This book is an 800 page behemoth, but heralded as a classic that is worth the time to read. I took the whole year to do it, but I’m glad to say I read it. Especially helpful is the last section where Calvin talks about the Christian life. It’s so helpful that Ligonier has produced a book that is only that section called A Little Book on the Christian Life. If you don’t want to commit to 800 pages then read that.
Pick up your copy here. (affiliate)
Conclusion
That’s my list. I hope to read a lot more this year. We’ve been blessed with many good books that allow us to access some of the most brilliant thinkers that have ever walked the earth. Be a reader. You’re short changing yourself if you don’t.
